Walled sheet-metal structure.



P. M. WEGB.

WALLLD SHEET METAL STRUCTURE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 12, 1910.

Patented May 30, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WALLEZD SH EET-M-E'I'AL s'rnuc'runn.

To all whom it concern: Be it known that 1 PETER M. WEGE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at 'Marietta, in the county-of Vvashington and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Walled Sheet- Metal Structures, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a walled sheet metal structure which can be cheaply and economically made and which is thoroughly rigid especially at the corners so that at said points it cannot be distorted by ordinary handling.

The invention is embodied in the par;

ticular example of it herein shown and described the features of novelty being pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming Fig. .4 is a sectional and perspective view looking at a corner of the structure.

The structure shown is of'plain box form' without any cover or door applied thereto.

The sides 5 and 6 and bottom 7 can be formed of one piece of sheet metal. The upper edges of the sides 5 and 6 are bent outward and downward to form channels along said edges except at the ends where small portions are left ofl' to make convenientthe application of the ends as seen at 8. Each of the four vertical margins of the sides 5 and 6 and the two bottom margins are formed with several small outwardly standing lugs 9 preferably formed by slitting and pressing out the metal of the margins. These lugs are preferably inclined inward toward the vertical and bottom edges on theif outer sides so that the end (to be presently described) can be more easily sprung over them. I

The end pieces are identical and a description of one will suflice for both. They each consist of a rectangular piece of metal. 10

having itsfour margins bent first outward at right angles to the piece itself as seen at 11 and then inward at right angles to the portion 11' as seen at 12. Themeeting edges Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January. 12, 1910.

Patented May 30, 1911. Serial No. 537,680.

of the outwardly bent portions 11 at all corners of each end can be welded if desired and the meeting edges of the inwardly bent portions 12 at the lower corners of each end can be mitered and welded as seen at 13. Corner o'rtions of the flanges 12 can be cut out if desired as seen at 14 to facilitate applying the ends. 1 7

The bracing corner piece comprises two arms 15 and 16 (see Fig. 3) standing at right angles to each other. This corner piece is economically cut out of heavy sheet metal. The arm l5 is of slightly greater width than the arm 16 because of the channels in which they respectively fit. I

To put the parts thus far particularly described together the wider arms 15 of two of the corner bracing pieces are first placed in the grooves at the upper corners of one of the end pieces so that said arms lie flatagainst the inner sidesof the flanges 11 and with the arms 16 extending from the inner side ofthe end. piece. While held in this posit-ion the end pieceis pressed toward the edges of the sides andbottom 5, 6 and 7 with the arms 16 inserted in the groove along the upper edges of the sides until the flanges 12 of the end piece catch over the lugs 9. The other or opposite end piece is then provided with corner bracing pieces and added in the same way. When the end pieces catch over the lugs 9 they are securely attachedk To keep the corner bracing pieces 1516 from rattling or working out of place they can -be spot-welded or otherwise secured to one or both of the flanges against which they lie; .Or an interior-wall piece 17 having outwardly bent flanges l8 and 19 can be employed the-same being first inserted at its upper edge under the flange 12 and against the arm 15 and then pressed toward the end piece proper at its lower end where it will be amply secured by friction alone. The

piece against the arms 15 holds the corner piece from movement in any part, and said interior end piece also assists in bracing the structure generally and imparts to its inner side a neat, solid appearance.

It will be observed that by this construction the use of rivets or bolts can beavoided and that the structure presents a neat and chaste appearance and is strongly braced where it needs bracing with very little expense. The construction is useful in the pressure .of the flange of the interior end manufacture of cabinets, chests, boxes, cases and many other forms of walled structure. The structure can be, if desired, provided with a suitable door or cover (not shown) hinged or removably applied thereto as is commonly pra ticed.

The terms bottom, sides, ends or other terms used herein areof course specially used because of the special position in which the particular example of the invention is herein shown. 'In use what Ihave termed the bottom might become the back and what is called the side'or the end might be the bottom according to the intended function of the device. The bottom and sides are not necessarily formed in one piece, the bracing corner pieces can be changed in the form and proportion of its members and other minor changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a sheet metal structure. of the-kind described twoparallel walls each having a grooved margin at one ofits edges and a' wall connecting their opposite.edges, a clos ing wall for an open side of said structure,

said closing wall having a groove at its margin located to meet angularly at each of its ends with an end of one of the grooves of the first mentioned orparallel walls, and separate angular bracing pieces seated in said angularly meeting grooves.

2. In a sheet metal structure of the kind I described, two parallel walls each having a grooved margin at one of its edges and a wall connecting their-opposite'edges, a closin wall for an open. side of said structure, sa1d closing wall having a groove at its margin located to meet angularly at its ends with a pair of the ends of the grooves of the copies of this patent may be obtained-for aforementioned parallel walls, separate an gular bracing pieces seated in said an ularly meeting grooves,and means for securing the said closing wall to said parallel walls.

3. In a sheet metal structure bf the kind described, two parallel walls each having a grooved margin at one of its edges and a wall connecting the opposite edges of said walls, a closing wall for an open side of said structure, said closing wall having a groove at its margin located to meet angularly at its structure, said closing wall having a groove at its margin located to meet an larly at its ends with a pair of the ends o the grooves of the aforesaid parallel walls, angular bracing pieces each having one of its arms carried by the groove of the closing wall and its other arm projected into the grooveof the adjacent parallel wall, and a supplemental interior wall having one of its. edges abutted against the aforesaid connecting wall and its opposite edge abutted against said angular bracing pieces to secure them in position.

in said grooves, substantially as described. PETER M, WEeE. Witnesses:

T. J. SUMMERS, J. LIVINGSTON REED.

fivecents each, by addressingtthe Commissioner q! Iatents; Washington, D. O. 

